The Supreme Court today observed that a Film with CBFC clearance has to be released in every state. While expressing its disapproval of the extra-judicial ban on the Tamil film Thug Life in Karnataka, the Apex Court said that it cannot allow mobs and vigilantes to take over the streets. A bench comprising Justice Ujjal Bhuyan and Justice Manmohan said that the rule of law demands that any film which has a CBFC certificate must be released, and the state has to ensure its screening.
The Bench was hearing a PIL filed by Mahesh Reddy seeking directions to allow the screening of ‘Thug Life’, directed by Mani Ratnam. The film was not released in Karnataka after certain groups issued threats against its exhibition following the remarks of Kamal Haasan, who is also one of the producers of the film, that “Kannada was born out of Tamil”.
The bench has asked the Karnataka government to file its counter-affidavit by Wednesday, and posted the matter for further hearing on Thursday.